Several centrist Democrats took a neutral stance Wednesday on a new $3.5 trillion budget agreement, saying they needed to review details of a sweeping plan to fund expanded access to preschool and affordable child care, broader Medicare benefits and programs aimed at combating poverty and climate change.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) and Democratic members of the Budget Committee on Tuesday night announced the $3.5 trillion agreement, which will be used to craft a budget resolution setting the parameters of legislation containing much of President Biden’s legislative agenda. Democrats hope to use a process tied to the budget known as reconciliation to pass the package without GOP support, but will have to maintain total unity in their ranks to advance it through the evenly divided Senate.